Miley Cyrus to join 'Two and a Half Men' next season

Pop starlet Miley Cyrus is nearing a deal to join CBS's long-running sitcom for a guest-starring role next season, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. The 19-year-old Cyrus will play a sexy, funny new girl in town who catches the eye of Jake (played by 18-year-old Angus T. Jones), who was headed off to join the Army when we last saw him. (Hmmm, maybe that explains Miley's punky new buzz-cut?)

It's unclear whether Miley's "Men" role will be a one-shot deal or a multi-episode arc, but she should have no problem fitting in; after all, she did star in Disney's hit "Hannah Montana" for five years. But her casting does represent another move by "Men" (entering its tenth season) to reinvent itself in the post-Charlie Sheen era. Last season started out strong, with Ashton Kutcher taking over for Sheen, but
viewership faded as the season wore on. And now CBS is moving "Men" to Thursdays at 8:30 PM, following the mega-hit "The Big Bang Theory."

Is the Miley move a savvy appeal to a younger demographic... or a desperate attempt to revive a flagging franchise? We'll find out soon enough; "Men" returns for Season 10 next month.

The Season 10 premiere of "Two and a Half Men" airs Thursday, 9/27 at 8:30 PM on CBS.